Game On (Fair Catch Series, Book Six)

by Christine Kersey

  In moments she was listening to the phone ring on the other end. When someone answered, she asked for Jack Gilbey.

  “One moment please,” the woman who answered said.

  Confident that the man Tyler wanted her to talk to was legit, she handed him her phone, ready to listen for anything that sounded suspicious. She wasn’t about to let herself get played.

  “Hi, Jack,” Tyler said with a smile in her direction, a smile that lit up her insides. “This is Tyler.”

  How was he going to let Jack know not to reveal that Tyler was on the team? Tyler’s mind raced.

  “Hey, Tyler,” Jack said. “What’s up?”

  “Hey, so, I just need you to verify that I work there. To a woman I met today.”

  “What?” His tone broadcast incredulity. “Doesn’t she have Google?”

  Chuckling, he said, “Don’t worry. I’m not looking for another job. This is a personal matter. She just wants to make sure I’m legit.”

  “Oh,” Jack said. “I get it. You don’t want her to know you’re on the team.”

  “Right.” Tyler tried to hide his relief. “Her name’s Brielle.”

  “Okay. Put her on.”

  Tyler handed Brielle the phone.

  “Hello?” Brielle said, feeling kind of silly now for calling Tyler’s employer.

  “Brielle?”

  “Yes. Hi. Sorry to bother you.”

  “It’s no problem. What do you want to know?”

  “What does, uh, what does Tyler do there?”

  “He’s an account executive. Works with our sponsors.”

  So not a trainer, but he uses his brains. Even better.

  Impressed, Brielle asked, “How long has he worked there?”

  “Three years.”

  Satisfied, she said, “Okay. Thanks. And sorry to bother you.”

  “Take care now.”

  “Bye.” Brielle disconnected the call and tucked her phone in her pocket, her gaze going to Tyler. Handsome, smart, an impressive job. Why didn’t he already have a girlfriend? “Why are you single?”

  His eyebrows rose. “I could ask the same of you.”

  That was true, but this conversation wasn’t about her. “Yes. You could. But I asked you first.”

  Softly laughing, he shook his head. “I, uh, I’ve been too busy to date much.”

  She could buy that. And now that she’d verified his employment, knew he was legit, she seriously considered the job he was offering. One week. On vacation. Sand, ocean, blue skies, servers bringing her cold drinks. And Tyler. Not to mention the five thousand dollars. What wasn’t to like? “Should we, you know, sign a contract or something?”

  His eyebrows shot upward. “You’re accepting the job?”

  Was that what she was doing? “Yeah.” She smiled. “I guess I am.” What would Cara say? Well, she would be glad Brielle had the money to pay her share of the rent. That’s for sure.

  “Uh, I hadn’t thought about a contract,” Type said. And having one would require that he reveal his last name, which he was trying to avoid. Because if he did, Brielle would most certainly Google him. For some reason he liked the idea that she was willing to do this thinking he was just some staffer for the Vipers. He’d have to find out what Brielle thought his job was. He’d call Jack as soon as he could.

  Brielle kind of smirked. “So, you trust that I won’t run off with your money?”

  That was a good point. He had no idea who she was. He’d been so focused on keeping his true identity a secret that he’d forgotten to consider what kind of a person she was. Although from what he’d seen of her, he liked. He was willing to risk his cash.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I trust you.” His bigger concern was her keeping their arrangement a secret. Maybe they should have a contract. Then again, what would he do if she didn’t honor it? Sue her? The woman obviously was in desperate need of money. Otherwise she wouldn’t have agreed to the job in the first place.

  He had a better idea.

  “Let’s go old school.”

  She tilted her head. “Huh?”

  “Discuss our agreement and then shake on it.” That way he wouldn’t have to reveal his last name. Not yet, anyway. He knew he couldn’t keep it a secret forever—she was bound to discover it when she was with his family, and he knew she would be able to get cell service in Yellowstone. Still, he’d like to get to know her—and for her to get to know him—before she knew he was a star in the NFL.

  “Okay. What, exactly, is our agreement?”

  Chapter Six

  Brielle couldn’t believe she was going to do this. Even so, she was ready to do something different, to shake up her life. Maybe that’s what she needed—to change directions, to take a chance. Yes, that was exactly what she needed.

  “Our agreement,” Tyler said. Then he looked at Luna, who was panting. “Why don’t we sit down while we hash it out?”

  Brielle nodded. “Good idea.” She pointed to a nearby park bench nestled under a large tree. “How about over there?”

  Once they were seated on the bench, Brielle gave Luna some water. Luna lapped it up before lying down and resting her chin on Tyler’s foot.

  “I’ll go first,” Brielle said, wanting to get her conditions in stone before Tyler had a chance to contradict her.

  “Okay.”

  “Like I said, I want the twenty-five hundred up front. That means today.” Was she being too pushy? Didn’t matter. He was the one who was desperate. Well, she kind of was too. But he was more desperate.

  “That shouldn’t be a problem. What else?”

  “Like you said, nothing physical.”

  “Right, but maybe, I don’t know, you could hold my hand once or twice. Just to make it more believable.”

  When she imagined what it would feel like to have her hand in his, her pulse fluttered. “Yeah. Okay. I think I can do that.” She paused a beat. “Once or twice.”

  “Well, if it’s only once or twice, it’s gotta be in front of my family.”

  Made sense. “Right.”

  “Anything else?”

  “The balance of the payment the moment we return.”

  He smiled. “Okay.”

  “What about you? What are your conditions?”

  “Uh, I guess I haven’t really thought it through. I mean, I’ve never done anything like this before—”

  “I should hope not.”

  He laughed. “I guess when my family’s around you pretend like you’re into me. And of course I’ll pretend like I’m into you.”

  That didn’t seem too hard. Especially since she was genuinely attracted to him. “Okay. What else?”

  “No one can know about our arrangement. No one.”

  Did that mean she couldn’t tell Cara? She had to tell Cara. “I have to tell my roommate. She knows I’m not dating anyone. And you know, for my safety.”

  Tyler’s eyebrows bunched. “I can’t have this getting out.”

  “She can keep a secret.” She paused. “This is non-negotiable.”

  Tyler sighed, but he didn’t argue. “Fine. But if she tells anyone…”

  “She won’t.” Before he could say anything further, or take back his offer, she said, “Are you paying all of my expenses on this trip?”

  “Of course.”

  Score! A fully-paid vacation while earning more cash than she’d ever had at one time.

  Then a thought occurred to her. “On this trip, will your family expect us to share a room?”

  “A room?”

  “Yeah. At the hotel.”

  “About that.” Tyler got a funny look on his face. “There won’t be a hotel.”

  What kind of a vacation was this? “What do you mean? Where are we going?”

  “Camping.”

  “Camping? Like, in the wilderness?” Her voice kind of went high-pitched.

  He chuckled. “I don’t know where else you would camp.”

  Brielle had already mentally spent a good chunk of the twenty-fiv
e hundred dollars on getting her nails done, getting her hair cut, and buying several new outfits for the beach. Camping had been the last thing on her mind. “So, if we’re not going to be in a hotel, where will we be sleeping?” She already knew the answer, she just didn’t want to hear it. Too many memories of roughing it with Kate’s family, of digging a hole for a toilet, of carrying buckets of water from a river to the campsite.

  Tyler grinned. “In a tent.”

  “A tent.”

  “Is that going to be a problem?”

  Five thousand dollars. You’re going to get five thousand dollars. “No. No problem.” It wouldn’t exactly be her dream vacation, but the thought of the money would keep her going. It would have to.

  “Good.”

  “Where will this camping be taking place?”

  Tyler’s smile grew. “Yellowstone National Park.”

  “Oh.” Kate’s family had never taken her to Yellowstone. No. They’d always gone to places in the mountains where no one had been before. Places where they had to backpack in. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. “What do I need to bring?”

  “Just your clothes and toiletries. During the day it might get into the eighties, but it’s chilly at night.”

  She could handle that. “Okay.”

  “I’ll pick you up about five o’clock tomorrow morning. It’s a twelve hour drive, so we’ll want to get going early.”

  This was getting much too real. She was actually going camping in Yellowstone with this hot stranger and his family. The next day. Was she out of her mind? Five thousand dollars. Five thousand dollars. “What about your family? Are we driving with them?”

  “No. We’ll meet them there.”

  “Good.”

  His eyebrows bunched. “Why do you say that?”

  This time she grinned. “We’ll need to get our story straight. About how we met.”

  He laughed. “Right.” Then he held out his hand. She just looked at it. “We need to shake on it.”

  “Oh. Of course.” She reached for his hand and the moment their skin made contact she felt a zing of energy.

  This camping trip was going to be interesting.

  Tyler released her hand. Her incredibly soft hand. Not the hand of someone who knew how to rough it. He hoped she wouldn’t hate Yellowstone, because he liked her—willing to give his crazy idea a go, willing to camp. Not to mention attractive.

  “I should probably get back,” she said.

  “Okay.” He stood, and Luna stood as well. “Do you want me to walk you and Luna home?”

  “No. I can take it from here.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She laughed, but it didn’t sound confident. “Yeah.”

  He handed her the leash. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks for your help with Luna.”

  Chuckling, he said, “Any time.”

  “So, I guess you need my address.”

  He cocked his head. “Only if you want me to bring the money over.”

  “Of course.” She told him her address, which he typed into his phone.

  “I’ll come by in an hour or so.”

  “See you then.”

  She turned and walked away, and to Tyler’s surprise, Luna trotted along with her. He watched her until she was out of sight, then he called Jack to find out what he’d told Brielle, all the while thinking about seeing her later that evening.

  Chapter Seven

  The moment Cara got home, Brielle told her everything.

  Cara listened, wide-eyed, but she let Brielle finish before saying, “Are you insane?”

  At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.

  Brielle’s heart hammered against her ribs. “It’s him.” Then she panicked. “Don’t blow this for me, okay?”

  Cara stared at her a moment, then she sighed and shook her head. “It’s your funeral.”

  Throwing her arms around her, Brielle said, “Thank you.” Then she leapt to her feet and crossed the floor, her body tense with anticipation. Would Tyler come through, or was he there to tell her it was all a mistake?

  Pressing her eye to the peephole, she verified it was him. Seeing him standing there—tall, ripped, hot—she really, really hoped he wasn’t going to tell her he’d changed his mind.

  Luna had raced to the door as well, and Brielle wondered if she knew it was him. Probably not. She always got excited when someone came to the door.

  Cara called Luna back—and she actually obeyed—then Brielle grasped the doorknob and pulled the door open.

  She was more beautiful than Tyler remembered. Good thing he’d brought the cash. When he’d gone to the bank to make the withdrawal, he’d told himself he didn’t have to go through with this, that he could change his mind. But he’d withdrawn the money anyway. Just in case. And now that she stood in front of him, those green eyes sparkling, that smile drawing him in, he knew he couldn’t back out.

  “Hi,” he said.

  She leaned against the edge of the door. “Hey.”

  “I, uh, I brought it.”

  Her eyes lit up, and for a moment he was disappointed. It was all about the money for her. That’s all she cared about. But what did he expect? It was a job to her. A job she needed. She’d said as much. She wasn’t looking for a boyfriend, just an income.

  Feeling like an idiot for thinking otherwise, he held out the envelope. “You can count it if you want.”

  She took it from his hand. “I’ll count it later. Right now I’d like you to meet my roommate. Cara.”

  Right. The person he needed to convince that this wasn’t as crazy as it sounded.

  Then he heard barking. Luna. Smiling, when Brielle opened the door wider, Tyler walked in.

  The living room was tiny—about the size of his entryway. But it was cozy—a couch tucked under the window, plants here and there, a large TV mounted to the wall across from the window. And on the couch, a woman with short dark hair and a suspicious look in her eyes.

  Cara was holding Luna’s collar, though Luna was struggling mightily to be let free.

  Putting on a veil of confidence, Tyler took a step in Cara’s direction. That’s when she released Luna, who bounded toward him and leapt up, her paws on his legs. “Hi, Luna,” he said with genuine happiness. Then he pushed her off of him. When all four paws were on the floor, he snapped his fingers and said, “Down.” She fell to her belly, though she kept her eyes on him. “Good girl. Now, stay.”

  He looked at Cara, who had stood, clearly surprised at the way Luna had obeyed him.

  Tyler crossed the space, stopping in front of her. “Hi there.”

  She didn’t smile. “Hey.”

  He held out his hand. “I’m Tyler.”

  She shook his hand. “Do you have a last name, Tyler?”

  Uh-oh. It hadn’t occurred to him that she would ask. Thinking quickly, he said, “Of course.” As if he didn’t? “I mean, yeah. It’s Ford.” That was his mother’s maiden name.

  Then he smiled the smile that usually made women melt. Cara just nodded. Must be made of stone.

  “Bri told me about this…job…you hired her for.” Then she narrowed her eyes like she was trying to see into his soul.

  “Cara,” Brielle said before Tyler had a chance to answer.

  “Hmm,” Cara said with a sniff, then she turned and began walking out of the room, stopping to motion to Luna. “Come, Luna.” With a glance at Tyler, Luna got to her feet and padded after Cara. A moment later they were out of sight.

  Glad she’d left, Tyler turned to Brielle. Cara wasn’t his problem. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at five.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  At that, he left, surprised at how eager he was to come back the next morning.

  “You can come out now,” Brielle called to Cara the moment Tyler left. As she waited for her friend to appear, Brielle sat on the couch and counted the cash. It was all there. Putting aside enough to cover her share of the rent, she tucked the rest back int
o the envelope as a feeling of comfort slid over her. She had enough money to get by for several weeks.

  “I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Cara said as she walked into the room, Luna on her heels.

  Brielle tapped the cash on the coffee table. “My share of the rent.”

  Cara frowned as she sat on the couch. “That’s good.”

  “What’d you think of him? Cute, huh?”

  A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Cara’s mouth. “All right. Yes.”

  “And I talked to his boss. The man’s legit. So stop worrying.”

  “We need to Google this guy.”

  They did, and there were lots of Tyler Fords, but none of them matched their Tyler.

  “Not everyone is gonna come up in a search,” Brielle said. “He’s just a regular guy, you know.”

  “Well, at least he didn’t come up as a wanted fugitive or anything.”

  Brielle smiled and shook her head.

  “One more thing I want to search,” Cara said as she began tapping on her screen.

  “What?”

  She glanced at Brielle. “Whether there’s cell service in Yellowstone.” After a moment she said. “Looks like there is. At least in portions of the park.” She stared at Brielle. “You’d better keep me posted on how it’s going or I’ll call the park rangers and have them track you down.”

  Brielle smiled. “I definitely will.” She paused. “Was I right about how good he is with Luna?”

  “That was pretty amazing.”

  Brielle stroked Luna’s head. “I think Luna likes him.”

  Cara narrowed her eyes. “I think you like him.”

  “I just met the guy, but yeah…there is something about him.”

  “Let’s just hope it’s something good.”

  Chapter Eight

  Well before the sun came up the next morning, Brielle was ready. She’d hardly slept, so it had been easy to get up early. Tyler would be there any minute. Moments later, a soft knock sounded on the apartment door.

  Heart going into overdrive, Brielle hurried to the front door, peeking through the peephole before swinging the door open.